Rotary engine.



PATENTED MAR. 24, 1908.

W. M. SPENCER.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED 001'. 4.1907.

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ROTARY ENGINE.-

APPLICATION FILED OOT. 4.1907.

PATENTED MAR. 24, 1908.

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No. 882,591. PATENTED MAR, 24, 1908.

W. M. SPENCER. I

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILED 0014,1907.

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.CER, a citizen of the United. States, residing UNITED STATf ELFrLTENTOFFICE.

WILLIAM MOSES SPENCER, OF BURNS, TENNESSEE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

No. 882,591. Specification of Application filed October 4,

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be 1t known that 1, WILLIAM Mosns SPEN- at Burns, in the county ofDickson and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new. and usefulImprovements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to a rotary engine, and the object is to overcomethe loss of motion or leverage on the machinery, and by my invention 1am enabled by the two wheels to prevent any dead center, for as onewheel reaches a certain point and having given the full power of itsstroke by the steam or leverage on its machinery from start to exhaust,and as the exhaust of the steam which retates this wheel escapes theother wheel is receiving the full pressure of the steam and prevents anylost motion or dead center.

The invention relates to certain other novel features of constructionand combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described andpointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a View in front elevation;Fig. 2 is a sectional view; Fig. 3 is a view of one of the wheels, andFig. 4 is a transverse sectional view.

A represents the frame, and 1 is the shaft mounted on the frame andhaving fly wheels B, B journaled thereon at each end.

A casing C is supported on the frame, and it is preferably cylindricalin form and has a central web 2 therein, the web preferably being hollowin the center. Received within the casing are wheels D, D rigidlymounted on the shaft 1 and having their hubs extending through or intothe openings formed by the web. The rims of the wheels are provided withbuckets 3, 3 having inclined surfaces and at the tops of the bucketswings 4i, 4 are inserted, which are spring-actuated to tend to causethem to extend. outwardly and bear against the surface of the casing.The other side of the bucket is more abrupt but has a sloping surfacewhereby the gate valves can readily and easily strike the surface of thewheel. The sides of the wheel are provided with recesses 5, 5 on eachside having packing rings 6, 6 therein, which are held outwardly bymeans of small coil springs, and these rings bear against the side ofthe web, and ends 7, 7 of the cylinder, which prevents any leakage ofthe steam.

The ends 7, 7 of the cylinder are secured to Letters Patent. PatentedMarch 24, 1908.

1907. Serial No. 395,859.

the casing and into the flanged edges of the ends.

Mounted upon the casing C is a steam chest 9, having valves 10, 10therein,.which are connected by levers 11 and 12 to the rocker arms 13of the shaft 14-. Mounted upon the shaft to similar rocker arms 15 areeccentric levers 16, which are connected to the eccentrics 17, 17 on theshaft 1., whereby the valves are operated as the shaft is revolved andthe eccentric for the different valves is caused to reciprocate it inthe chest to close the port or ports 18 therein. These eccentrics are somounted on the shaft to COIIOSPODd to the wheels that the valvebegins toclose or closes the port 18 before the buckets 3 on the wheel reach theexhaust port 19 in the casing.

Gate valves 20, 20 are mounted on the easing just ahead of the steamchest and are received in a suitable casing 21, and are springcontrolledtherein by means of coil springs 22. These gate valves extend throughthe casing and bear against wheels D, D, and as the wheels are rotatedafter passing the exhaust port 19, and the port 18 in the steam chest isclosed, by one of the valves therein, it strikes a bucket 3 on thewheel, causing it to move upwardly, and as the bucket passes frombeneath it, it strikes the sloping surface of the bucket and againbecomes seated on the surface of the wheel, and the valve 10 is drawnfrom the port 18 and the steam is permitted to strike the bucket andforce the wheel onward; these gate valves preventing the steam frompassing in but one direction through the cylinder, and always causingthe wheel to move.

The operation is as follows:Stcam is admitted from the boiler (notshown) to the cylinder, causing the wheel or wheels to revolve, and theyare so timed that the bucket 3 on one is at the top or near the gatevalve when the other is making its revolution and is about midwaythereof. The pressure of steam against the wheels causes the shaft 1 torevolve, transmitting motion to the fly wheel and to the eccentrics,which eccentrics are connected to the eccentric levers 16, which areconnected to the rocker arms 15 tion to the rocker arms 14, which inturn are connected to the lovers 11 and 12, to which the valves 10 areconnected. The eccentrics do not run together, but permit one lever totransmit motion to the shaft 14 to cause one the casing by means ofbolts 8, S passing over on the shaft 14, thereby transmitting mo' of thevalves 10 to operate and cover the port 18 as the bucket 3 on the wheelD passes the exhaust port E, thereby closing the steam supply to thisWheel, and as the wheel passes around it strikes one of the gate valves20, causing it to rise upwardly, and as the bucket passes from beneathit the valve again becomes seated on the rim of the wheel and after itpasses the gate valve, and has traveled a short distance, the valve isdrawn from the port allowing the steam to strike against the back of thebucket, forcing the wheel around as the'other valve is closing the otherport by the other wheel which is now reaching the exhaust valve E. Atthe same time the steam is entering the port and forcing the first-namedwheel around, thereby preventing the loss of motion or stroke and thestrain naturally due to the jerking motion, as an even stroke is alwaysgiven to the machinery.

It is evident that many slight changes might be resorted to in the formand arrangement of the several parts described without departing fromthe spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to limitmyself to the exact construction herein set forth, but

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. In a rotary engine, the combination witha frame, a casing mounted on the frame, of a shaft, wheels within thecasing mounted on the shaft, buckets on the wheels, pivoted steam to thewheels, means for actuating the valves alternately, and gate valves forpreventing the fiow of steam in more than one direction through thecasing.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination with a frame, a casing mounted onthe frame, of a shaft, wheels within a casing mounted on the shaft,buckets on the wheels, pivoted wings in the buckets, a steam chestmounted on the casing having ports therein for the admission of steam tothe casing, valves in the chest for regulating the flow of steam to thewheels, means connected to the shaft for operating the valves, and gatevalves for preventing the flow of steam in but one direction.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM MOSES SPENCER.

Witnesses:

M. D. SPENCER, J. A. WYATT.

